Clutch.



PATENTED MAR 5, 1907.

M. H. AVERY.

CLUTCH. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. mos.

IIIL I lJlll I IZVVINIUHA UNITED STATES PATENT OFF IGEQ MORRIS H. AVERY,E)FWOQNSO EIET, RHODE ISLAND.

CLUTCH.

To (til whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Mourns H. AVERY, a citizen of the United States, residing at oonsocket, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Clutches, of"

which the following is aspecification. I

This invention has reterence to an improvement m clutches, and more particu' larly to an improvement in the construction with a slight and easy movement of the ship' per, thereby makingpossible the attachment thereto of automatic life saving devices or,

mechanisms.

A further object of my invention is to produce a positive clutch without locking-jaws or projections that can be operated to positively drive in one direction and to positively release automatically in' the opposite direction, whereby it arranged in seriesas, for instance, where several engines or waterwheels drive the same shaftany one of the motive powers may be instantly stopped or reversed with a positive assurance that the driven power will not be likewise reversed,

thereby eliminating the possibility of accidents to the operatives. v

A still further object of my invention is to produce a positive friction-clutch in which the clutching parts are brought into perfect alineinent before the clutching takes place and when the clutching-surfaces are widely separated, thereby eliminating the possi bility of accidental starting.

Still another object of my invention is to roduce an eflicient and serviceablepositive triction-clutch constructed of few parts, thereby reducing the cost of manufa turing the same.

My invention consists in the peculiar and novel construction of a positive frictionclutch having details ofconstruction as will be more fully set forth hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a. longitudinal sectional view Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed February 27,1906. Serial No. 303,220.

fatented March 5, 1907.

taken on line 1 1 of Fig. 2, showing the clutch in the closed position. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2 2 of'hig. l with the clutch in the closed position. ld'ig. 3 is-a detail view looking at the face of one of the frictional clutching-jaws removed from the clutch, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the shipper end of the clutch.

In the drawings, a indicates a drivingshaft; 1), a driven shaft; 0, the driving member of the clutch; d, the driven member of the clutch; e,th e shipping-sleeve; j, the shippingring; g, the shipper; h It the OllltGhlDg-]&WS; i i, studs for pivotally supporting theclutching-j aws k lc,adjust1ngstuds on the free ends of the clutching-3 aws t L, coiled springs m'm, clutching-rolls, and 0 a cam-collar on the driven-shaft b.

The driving member 0 of the clutch has the central hub 5, the solid end 6, and the. annular flange 7 the inner surface of which forms the clutch-face of the member. This member -c is secured to the driving-shaft a by a feather 8, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1. The driven member at has the central hub 9 supporting the disk 10 on its inner end, in which are the oppositely disposed screwthreaded holes 11 11 adjacent its periphery and having the studs 12 11-3 Ior the springs l 1 as shown in Fig. 2. This member at is secured to the driven shaft 1) by a leather 13, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1. l

The shipping-sleeve e is cons tructed to have the central hub 14, which has a sliding lit on the hub 9 of the driven member d, and the central disk 15, which is adapted to loosely lit and close the open end of the driving member a when the clutch is closed. The hub 14 is shaped to have the cone-shaped inner end 16, the intermediate annular ledge 17, the second cone shaped portion 18 and the annular groove 19 in the outer end of the hub. The disk has the oppositely-disposed holes 20 20 in a position to receive the outer ends of the studs ti on the inward movement of the shipping-sleeve. This shipping-sleeve c has a longitudinal movement on the hub 9 of the driven member at and is prevented i'rom turning on the hub 9 by a spline 21, as shown in Fi 1.

he shipping-ring f is constructed of" two semicircular parts shaped to fitin the annular groove 19 in the hub of the shipping sleeve e and is secured together in any wellknown way. Each semicircular part of the ring is constructed to have a trunnion and ZOO an outwardly-extending arm 23, in the end of which is a radially-disposed spring-actuated pin'24, held in its normal position in the end of the arm 23 by the tension of the coiled spring '25, as shown in Fig. 1.

The shipperg has the transverse slots '26 26 for the trunnions 2; 22, the short under beveled side arms 27 27 for depressing the springactuated pins 24 2st, the end 28, pivotallv secured to the bracket 29, which is rigidli secured to the ceiling or any other convenient fixture, and the handle for operating the shipper, as shown in Figs. 1 and l.

he clutching-jaws 7t 71 are each constructed to have the convex semicircular clutchingfaee 31, the transverse hole 32 for pivotallv securing the aw to a stud 'i, the outwardly turned L-shaped end 33, having the hole 34, and the end boss 35, in which is aradial screwthreaded hole 36 for the adjusting-stud 7r. When the clutchingjaws are in their operative position, a curved wedge-shaped space is formed between the face 31 of the jaw and-the circular clutching-face of the driving member (I, as shown in Fig. 2.

The studs i i are firmly secured to the disk .10 oi t'he driven'member (7 by screwing the inner'ends of the studs into the screw-threaded holes 11 11 in the disk 10, as shown in Fi 1;:

[he-adjusting-studs 7r 7; each have the head. 33? and-the screw-t.hreaded shank. 3S adjustably secured in the screw-threaded hole 36 in the boss on the free end of a clutching-jaw 7t bv alock nut 39, as shown in Fig. 2.

The coiled springs Z Z are each secured at one end to a clutching-jaw 72 and at the other end to a stud 12 on the driven member (7, as shown in Fig. 2.

The clutching-rolls on m are each rotatably secured in a. yoke 40, having a stem 41, which extends through the hole 34 in the L-shaped end 33 on the tree end of a clutching-j aw 71 The outer end of the stem 4-1 is enlarged, and a coiled spring 42 is placed 011 the stem intermediate the enlarged end and the L-shaped end 33 on the clutcl'iing-jaw 71. The tension 01 thecoiled spring 42 tends to hold the yoke in its normal position against the L-shaped end 33 on the clutching-jaw, as shown in Fi 3.

The cam-collar 0 has the annular cam edge i3 and is secured to'the driven shaft 7) by a set-screw 14 in a position for the radially-disposed spring-actuated pins 24 24 in the Sllll): pingwingfto engage with the cam edge ol the tram, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

In the o eration of my in'iproved clutch the clutch 1s thrown in by moving the shipper g toward the clutch. The outer ends of the slots 26 26 in the shipper engagn'ig with the trunnion-e22 22 on the shipping-ring? move the shipping-1ring, and with it he shippiiignsleeve a, inward or toward driving member a.

shipping-sleeve engaging with the heads 37 of the adjusting-studs 7; Z on the free ends oi the clutching-jaws 72 72 forces the jaws apart against the tension or the coiled s ings 7 7 into a position as shown in Fig. 2. The clutching-rolls m we now come into lrictional contact with the annular elulchin" face on the driving member c, and the d rivcn member (7 not revolving the rolls will travel forward. against' the tension of the coiled springs 42 42 until firmly wedged between the semicircular convex clutching-face 31 on the jaws 7a 71. and the annular clutching-face on the drivmg member 0, when positive and simultaneous rotations of the driving and driven members c and (7 must take place. The clutching-jaws 72 72 are now held. in their operative positions by the heads 37 37 of the adj ustingstuds 7c 76 on the jaws engaging with the annular ledge 17 on the shipping-sleeve e, as

' shown in Fig. 2, which hold and automatically lock the clutching-jaws firmly in posi tion. It the load is heavy to pick up and the rolls do not advance and pinch, a further movement of the shipper 9 toward the clutch moves the shipper-sleeve e inward until the second. cone-shaped portion 18 engages with the studs 76 7: 011 the clutching-jaws 7L 7a.- This tends to force the clutching-jaws still farther apart and forces the pinching action of the rolls. This second cone-shaped port-ion 18 also obviates the necessity of fine adjustment, so imperatively essential in frictionclutches as heretofore constructed. The clutch (which I will say has been carrying a heavy load and is rigidly and positively in clutch) is easily thrown out by the operator grasping the handle 30 of the shipper g and moving the same away from the clutch.

The slot 26 in the shipper g allows of a predetermined movement of the shipper before the shipper acts on the shipping-sleeve c. This movement or lost motion of the shipper is sufficient to allow the under beveled arms 27 27 to engage with and depress the pins 24 '24 against the tension of the springs 25 25, thus moving the pins into the path of the cam edge 43 on the revolving cam-collar 0, which engaging with the pins moves the shipping-ring f and the shipping-sleeve 0 outward. This outwardmovementv of the shipping-sleeve e releases and allows the clutching-jaws 72 7t through the tension of the springs 7 Z to return to their normal or inoperative position and the trunnions 22 22 on the shipping-ring f to engage with the inner ends of the slots 26 '26 in the shipper, thus releasing the pins ii 24 from thearms 2" 27 on the shipper g, which is now left in a position to throw .thc'clutch in when required.

It is evident that by reversing the position ol the clutch on the shafts (z and 7) the memberd could be the driven member and that it is. also within. the scope of this invention to v The cone-shared. end 16 on the t have a positive drive in both directions when required by suspending from the studs t i two clutching-j aws h h in a position to bring the free ends of the jaws in opposite positlons, with the springs Z Z connected to both Jaws, Without materially aii'ecting the spirit of my invention.

I laving thus described my invention, 1 clannas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent.

jaws are expanded and the rolls caused to face of the clutchin transverse hole 32 in one end i pinch between the clutching-face the driving memberand the outer face oi M16 jaws, an means for moving the sleeve eutward, whereby the rolls are instantaneously released. v v v 2. The combination With a driving-shaft and a driven shaft, of a clutch membersecured to the driving-shaft and having an internal. annular clutching-face, a clutch member secured to the driven shaft, a plurality of clutching-jaws pivotally secured to the driven member tangentially to. the clutchingface on the driving mnber, rel arctatably supported under sp g tension on the outer aws, coiled springs operatively connected to the clutching-jaws and to the driven member, a sleeve having a cone 'shaped inner end adapted to engage with the free ends of the clutching-jaws and an annular groove in the outer end, a ring in the annular groove, outwardlyextending arms on the ring, spring-actuated pins in the arms, a shipper operatively connected to the ring, means on the shipper for depressing the spring-actuated pins, and a cam collar cured to the driven shaftin a position to engage with the spring-actuated pins, whereby on moving the shipper inward the clutchingjaws are expanded and the rolls caused to inch between the clutching-face on the riving member and the face pf the clutching-jaws and on moving the shipper outward the pins areibrought into "engagement with the cam-collar and the rolls instantaneously released, as described),v

3. In a clutch,- a clutching-3' it having the convex semicircular clutcLing ce 31, the r pivotally securing the jaw to a stud, r shaped end having the hole 34, the boss 35 in WillOll 1s a screw-threaded hole 36, theadjusting-stud 1c having thehead 37, and the screw-threaded shank 38 secured in the hole 36 by a lock-nut 39, a clutching-roll 'm rotatably secured in the yoke 40 having a stem 41 with an enlarged end which extends through the hole 34 in the h-Shaped end 35, and a coiled spring 42 on the stem 41 intermediate the enlarged end of the stem and the Lshaped end 33, as described.

4. In a clutch, a shipper mechanism comprising a shipping-sleeve 0 having a central hub 14 and a disk 15, the hub 14 having the cone-shaped inner end 16, the intermediate annular ledge 17, the second cone-shaped portion 18' and the outer annular groove 19,

the disk 15, having the oppositely-disposed cam edge 43 secured in a position to engage with the pins 24 24, as described.

In a clutch, the combination With a driv ing-shaft a anda driven shaft 5, of a driving member '0, a driven member at, shipping sleeve 2, a shipping-ring f, a shipper g, clutching-jaws h h, studs 71 t for pivotally supporting the clutching-jaws, adjusting-studs lc k on the clutching-jaws, coiled springs Z Z connected to the clutching-jaws h it and to the driven member (1, clutching-rolls m m rotatably supportedon the clutching-jaws and a cam-collar o secured to the driven shaft 1), as shown and described.

6. A clutch comprising a driving member having a clutch-face, a driven member, ex-

pansible gripping devices carried by said tuating means to disengage the same from said gripping devices and manually-operated means for moving said pins to be ehgaged by said automatic means.

7 A clutch comprising a driving member having a clutch-face, a driven member, enp ans'ible gripping devices carried by said driven member and having their bearing-surfaces angularly disposed with relation to said clutch-face whereby a wedge-shaped space occurs therebetween, brackets carried in movable relation by said gripping devices, rolls journaled in said brackets and designed to work in said wedge-shaped space, springs engaging said brackets to normally move the same and the rolls carried thereby towardthie; larger end of said space, means for expanding said gri. ping members and means for restoring sai gripping members to initial position upon disengagement of said last named means.

8. A clutch comprising a driving member having a clutch-face, a driven member, movable. gripping devices carried by said driven member, a cone-shaped sleeve for engagement with said gripping devices to move the same into frictional contact with said clutchface, said driven member having laterallyprojecting pins, said sleeve having a portion of its material apertured to receive said pins therethrough and means for moving said sleeve axially in either direction.

9. A-clutoh comprising a driving member, a driven member, gripping devices interposed I therebetween for frictionally binding the same, a movable actuating element for said gripping devices, spring-held pins carried by said element, a cam carried by said driven member for engagement with said pinsin one I position thereof, and a manual shipper for moving said element, said shipper having an initial free movement or play and inclu ing means for actuating said pins in such move- I ment to be engaged by said cam. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. l l MORRIS H. AVERY.

Witnesses 1 ADA E. HAGERTY, J. A. MILLER. 

